English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 16:19
19You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.
Deuteronomy 16:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.
- New King James Version (NKJV)You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
- New Living Translation (NLT)You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.
Context of Deuteronomy 16:19
17Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. 18"You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. 20Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 21"You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the Lord your God that you shall make.
Read all of Deuteronomy 16Deuteronomy 16:19 word by word
לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thou shalt not wrestנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- thou shalt not respectנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
- personsפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440
- neither takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: recieveH3947
- a giftשֹׁ֫חַדshachad · bribeH7810
- doth blindעָוַר‛âvar · to blindH5786
- the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- of the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
- and pervertסָלַףsâlaph · to pervertH5557
- the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
- of the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 16:19
- Deuteronomy 24:17"You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment in pledge,
- Deuteronomy 27:19"'Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'
- Exodus 23:2You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
- Leviticus 19:15"You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.
- 1 Samuel 8:3Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
- 1 Samuel 12:3Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
- Job 31:21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,
- Proverbs 17:23The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
- Ecclesiastes 7:7Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
- Isaiah 1:17learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
- Isaiah 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,
- Jeremiah 5:28they have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of evil; they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy.
- Ezekiel 22:12In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but me you have forgotten, declares the Lord God.
- Micah 7:3Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
- Habakkuk 1:4So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
- Zephaniah 3:3Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16:19
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 These verses are closely connected in subject with the following chapter, and introduce certain directions for the administration of justice and the carrying on of the civil government of the people in Canaan. During the lifetime of Moses, he himself, especially inspired and guided by God, was sufficient, with the aid of the subordinate judges (compare Exodus 18:13 ff), for the duties in question. But now that Moses was to be withdrawn, and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19show partiality: See study note on 1:16–17.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. Judges and officers shalt thou make--These last meant heralds or bailiffs, employed in executing the sentence of their superiors. in all thy gates--The gate was the place of public resort among the Israelites and other Eastern people, where business was transacted and causes decided. The Ottoman Porte derived its name from the administration of justice at its gates.Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 16:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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